Society of the Danube Swabians Donates $5,000 and more to Food Pantry & Self-Help Closet

This is the ninth year that the Society of the Danube Swabians, 625 Seegers Road, Des Plaines, has sent car loads of non-perishable donations to the Self Help Closet & Pantry of Des Plaines.   At their annual Christmas party on December 7, the Society welcomed Debra Walusiak, Executive Director of the Self Help Closet & Pantry.

The Society of the Danube Swabians’ President, Eckhard Blaumueller, presented Walusiak with a check in the amount of $5,000.  In addition to the monetary donation given to the Food Pantry, each child and teen from the Society's children and youth folkdance groups brought non-perishable food items, personal care items, gift cards, and children’s books for families who are experiencing a time of need during the holiday season. 

Close to 1,400 items of non-perishable food and personal care items were collected at the Christmas party, along with $865 worth of gift cards, and 49 children’s books.  Most of the gift cards and books were selected by the children themselves to give to boys and girls their own age who may not otherwise receive a gift this holiday season.  

The Society’s Board of Directors is very proud of its youth, because of the empathy they have shown toward families in their community who show a demonstrable need.  Although the Christmas season brings in the greatest quantities of non-perishable items, the Society of the Danube Swabians collects food and personal care items all year long for the Self Help Closet & Pantry of Des Plaines.  Large red bins are set out in the Society’s vestibule to accept donations from members.  These donations are transported to the Food Pantry on a regular basis by Society volunteers. 

The Society of the Danube Swabians is principally organized for charitable purposes. Being that the founding members of the Society were poor German immigrants who had been given an opportunity to come to the United States for a better life, it became the mission of the Society to provide supervised program activities for the children, youth, and senior citizens of the community, as well as reaching out to the community at large. 

Children from the ages of 3 to 13 can become members of the children's folkdance group; young adults from 13 until 22 are able to join the youth folkdance group.

More information about The Society of the Danube Swabians, or its upcoming events, can be found on their website at www.donauchicago.com.